Is this a full day for a plasterer?

[Sam9769]

Plasterer came to do some work with his mate yesterday, each charging £220 cash for a day's work.
They arrived about 8.30am and left at 2.45pm, no lunch break.
Plasterer came on his own today at around 8am and left at 1.45pm, no lunch break.
AIBU to think that this is not a day's work?

I recently had plasterers in and I found the same - they started early but finished early as they had to let the plaster dry. They couldn't do any more that day.
They don't do a 9-5.

£220 per man per day is an absolute bargain. As long as you are happy with there work,

Unfortunately yes. And don't know where you live but that's about half price compared to snotty south

Day rates are not 7 hours of work to the minute. It's whatever you can get done within your working hours. So it sounds like the guys work 8 to 4.

First day started at 8:30 no break so should finish around 3:30. At 2:45 there was probably nothing left they could do in those last 45 min. They can't start a new batch of plaster and stop halfway.

The next day the guy worked from 8 until 1:45 without break. So technically he worked until 2:45. If he finishes at 4 than your really complaining about 1 hour and 15 . The guy is not going to find an extra 1 hour and 15 minutes of work somewhere else and he is not going to sit in your house waiting for the clock to run out.

This is why you are paying per day and not per hour. Also your not taking into consideration the unseen labour. Going to buy supplies, quoting, invoicing and other admin.

If he knew you were clock watching he’d of had a dinner and probably slowed down a touch
arrive at 9 hour for dinner leave at 5 is 7 hours literally 45 minutes difference

Plastering is a funny job like that. Knocking up a fresh mix might take you 20-30 minutes, but you need it to cure slightly so it adheres to the previous coat. If the previous coat hasn’t sufficiently dried, then there’s no point applying the next coat cause it won’t adhere. At the end of the day, either you trust him as an expert to do a good job, or you don’t. If you don’t, don’t pay a day-rate. Day-rate payments work for people you trust. Otherwise it’s a job rate.

i just paid £60 for a double glazing man to sort out my bifold door. I told him the problem, he said “I can sort that, £60, I’ll be there about 5.” And we agreed. He did the job in 10 minutes. I suppose that technically makes his hourly rate £360. Not bad work if you can get it! But he did the job, and I’m happy with what I paid for…

You paid cash so no tax for him to pay

7hrs a day on a job site is a full days work as most tradesmen the travel to and from the job site is part of the work day.

? Doubt he has revenues that reach the VAT threshold.

😂

There are other taxes to pay

Believe it or not, not everyone who accepts cash as legal tender in payment for services or goods rendered is not paying income or NI tax on it. 🤨

Did he tell you it would be done in a day and a half? I think he priced the job and then gave you a time frame of how long it would take.

I would assume he was waiting for something to dry before he could carry on, and that’s why it worked out that way. Have you asked?

He hasn't got to the plastering. yet.

So what’s he been doing ?

Prepping the walls ?

Plastering is incredibly physically tiring work. Thats a solid 6 hours work.

My dad worked as a builder his whole life and usually worked around 8am-2pm as he was just too sore and stiff to carry on beyond that and the work would get shoddy as he lost strength.

Even on prep days he'd stick to the same hours so he could be sure to have enough recovery time so he wouldn't start the next day sore.

For a physical job like plastering, I doubt many do 8 hours in a row.

Workmen always do that anything over t hrs is a full day it's standard .a set price and job and finish

That's pus

It’s an incredibly physical job so I wouldn’t expect them to work 8 hours tbh. Also they can work as long as they want and charge whatever they want. Plasterers are highly skilled and in demand.

although I learnt to plaster and recently lime plaster and lime render so I could do my own.

Its a very satisfying thing to master
I’m currently lime rendering the entire house outside. At 58 it is tiring though especially getting up and down the ladders.

I have just been quoted £2995 plus VAT for one man to come and fasten a bird net across a rooflight. Two hours' work.

Postscript, I was not aware of quoting that post above ... goodness knows how that happened. Must be the shock of the quotation!

Is he hiring a cherry picker ?

Actually they only cost £1/200 a day.

So if they are I’d hire one yourself and do a diy. You could give the whole roof a going over at the same time